A method for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor that is within a semiconductor structure. A fraction of a surface layer of the resistor is oxidized with oxygen particles. In an embodiment, the fraction of the surface layer is heated by a beam of particles, such that the semiconductor structure is within a chamber that includes the oxygen particles as gaseous oxygen-comprising molecules. In an embodiment, the semiconductor structure is immersed in a chemical solution which includes the oxygen particles, wherein the oxygen particles includes oxygen-comprising liquid molecules, oxygen ions, or an oxygen-comprising gas dissolved in the chemical solution under pressurization. In an embodiment, the resistor is tested to determine whether the electrical resistance of the resistor after being oxidized with the oxygen particles is within a tolerance of a predetermined target resistance.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor, comprising the steps of: immersing a semiconductor structure in a chemical solution under pressurization such that a fraction F of an exterior surface of a surface layer of the resistor is immersed in the chemical solution under said pressurization, wherein the chemical solution under said pressurization includes oxygen particles in an oxygen-comprising gas dissolved in the chemical solution under said pressurization, and wherein the semiconductor structure includes the resistor; exposing the fraction F of the exterior surface of the surface layer of the resistor to the oxygen particles dissolved in the chemical solution under said pressurization; and oxidizing a portion of the surface layer of the resistor by chemically reacting the oxygen particles dissolved in the chemical solution under said pressurization with the portion of the surface layer during said exposing in a chemical reaction between the oxygen particles and the portion of the surface layer such that an electrical resistance of the resistor is increased, wherein said oxidized portion consists essentially of the exposed fraction F of the exterior surface of the surface layer, wherein F <1, and wherein a catalyst in the chemical solution under said pressurization accelerates the chemical reaction.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical reaction is exothermic.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical reaction is endothermic, and wherein the method further comprises adding to the chemical solution under said pressurization an amount of heat that is sufficient for the chemical reaction to be able to occur.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen-comprising gas comprises ozone.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical solution comprises hydrogen peroxide.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical solution comprises ferric nitrate.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical solution comprise ammonium persulphate.
8. A method for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor, comprising the steps of: predetermining a target resistance R t and an associated tolerance ΔR t for the electrical resistance of the resistor; providing a semiconductor structure that includes the resistor; exposing a fraction F of an exterior surface of a surface layer of the resistor to oxygen particles, wherein said exposing comprises immersing the semiconductor structure in a chemical solution under pressurization such that the fraction F of the exterior surface of the surface layer of the resistor is immersed in the chemical solution under said pressurization, and wherein the chemical solution under said pressurization includes the oxygen particles in an oxygen-comprising gas dissolved in the chemical solution under said pressurization; oxidizing the fraction F of the exterior surface of the surface layer by chemically reacting the fraction F of the exterior surface with said oxygen particles dissolved in the chemical solution under said pressurization during said exposing in a chemical reaction between the oxygen particles and the fraction F of the exterior surface such that an electrical resistance of the resistor is increased, wherein a thickness of a oxidized portion of the surface layer increases as a time of the chemical reaction increases; and testing the resistor during the oxidizing step to determine whether the electrical resistance of the resistor is within R t ±ΔR t .
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein if during the testing step the electrical resistance of the resistor is determined to not be within R t ±ΔR t then the method further comprises: iterating such that each iteration of the iterating includes additionally executing the exposing and oxidizing steps and additionally testing the resistor during the oxidizing step to determine whether R 2 ″ is within R t ±ΔR t , wherein R 2 ″ is a latest value of the electrical resistance of the resistor as determined by said testing; and ending the iterating if R 2 ″ is within R t ±ΔR t or if (R 2 ″−R 1 )(R t −R 2 ″)<0, wherein R 1 is a latest value of the determined electrical resistance of the resistor immediately prior to said testing.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said ending the iterating comprises satisfying R 2 ″ being within R t ±ΔR t .
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises determining from a calibration curve the time of exposure that results in the electrical resistance of the resistor being within R t ±ΔR t as a result of said oxidizing, and wherein said oxidizing is performed for the determined time of exposure.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said ending the iterating comprises satisfying (R 2 ″−R 1 )(R t −R 2 ″)<0.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said testing comprises continuously testing the resistor during the oxidizing step.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said testing comprises periodically testing the resistor during the oxidizing step.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the chemical reaction is exothermic.
16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the chemical reaction under said pressurization is endothermic, and wherein the method further comprises adding to the chemical solution under said pressurization an amount of heat that is sufficient for the chemical reaction to be able to occur.
17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the resistor includes aluminum.
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January 3, 2008
May 14, 2013
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